Method of packaging hosiery articles

ABSTRACT

An improved method of packaging hosiery articles, and particularly for articles such as ladies&#39;&#39; stockings formed from knit stretch fabric, in a package of the type having a closure flap foldable along the outside of the package. The article is folded over upon itself and is then inserted almost entirely into the package except for a final portion, which extends beyond the end of the package. The final portion is folded outwardly over the edge and sharply downwardly along the side of the package. The closure flap is then folded into the closed position over the final portion of the article, engaging and gripping the article between the inside of the closure flap and the outside of the package, and pressing the article against the edge over which it is folded. The closure flap is secured at points flanking the article.

United States Patent [191 Glaze, Jr.

1 1 Aug. 26, 1975 METHOD OF PACKAGING HOSIERY ARTICLES Inventor: John W. Glaze, Jr., Charlotte, NC.

Assignee: Intech Corporation, Charlotte, N.C,

Filed: Sept. 25, 1973 Appl. No: 400,497

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Scr. No. 199,105, Novv 16, 1971, Pat. No. 3,814,235.

US. Cl. 53/21 FW; 53/37; 206/278;

206/299 Int. Cl. B65B 5/00; B65B 63/04 Field of Search 53/21 FW, 37, 117, 197;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1966 Spohr 53/21 FW 7/1968 Ansell v. 229/87 A X Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee [57] ABSTRACT An improved .inethod of packaging hosiery articles, and particularly for articles such as ladies stockings formed from knit stretch fabric, in a package of the type having a closure flap foldable along the outside of the package. The article is folded over upon itself and is then inserted almost entirely into the package except for a final portion, which extends beyond the end of the package. The final portion is folded outwardly over the edge and sharply downwardly along the side of the package. The closure flap is then folded into the closed position over the final portion of the article, engaging and gripping the article between the inside of the closure flap and the outside of the package, and pressing the article against the edge over which it is folded. The closure flap is secured at points flanking the article.

8 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEU AUBZ 6 m5 SEILZT 1 [1F 2 PATENTEU AUG 2 61975 SHEET 2 OF 2 METHOD OF PACKAGING HOSIERY ARTICLES CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending appli' cation Ser. No. 199,105 entitled, Hosiery Package filed Nov. 16, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,814,235.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to packaging hosiery articles and the like, and more particularly to packaging such articles in packages having at one end a clo sure flap foldable along the outside of the package.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has long been the practice to package hosiery articles, and particularly ladiess nylon and silk stockings and pantyhose, in generally flat, rectangular, envelopetype packages with the garments being wrapped or folded around an insert, or folder, positioned with the envelope. In order to permit viewing of the garments without requiring the package to be opened, the envelope is normally provided with a viewing window covered with a transparent material such as cellophane, or, alternatively, the entire envelope, or a major portion thereof, may be constructed of cellophane. When the entire envelope is of cellophane, the folder is normally of a relatively rigid material such as a lightweight pa perboard so that the package retains its flat, rectangular shape and the garments are retained in a flat, smooth condition.

The recent development of the stretch, or superstretch, stockings and pantyhose has presented a problem to hosiery manufacturers because these garments do not readily lend themselves to merchandising in the conventional hosery packages. For example, such garments normally are not boarded during their manufacture, and therefore do not present the smooth, flat ap pearance which the customer has come to expect when buying the conventional boarded stockings. Further, these garments, in their unstretched condition, are much smaller than boarded garments of comparable size and therefore do not fill a conventional package, nor do they lend themselves readily to folding around a conventional folder. If not backed, they tend to migrate to a comer of the package, and are therefore not visible through the inspection window, and present an unattractive appearance when first removed from the package.

To avoid the problems presented by packaging the new stretch garments in conventional packages, many manufacturers have resorted to the use of nonconventional containers such as rigid paperboard or plastic boxes, cans, or the like. However, these packages have not eliminated the above problems, and have additional disadvantages. For example, they do not readily lend themselves to the use of an inspection window, with the result that there is an increased tendency for the customer to open the container and remove the garments for inspection. Further, because the customer has long been conditioned to purchasing quality, high fashion hosiery in the familiar flat package, there has been some tendency to regard such nonconventional packages as in indication of an inferior product. Also, retail outlets normally have display racks which are designed especially for the conventional packages, and which can not be employed for the merchandising of such nonconventional packages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of packaging hosiery articles and the like which eliminates the problems set forth above.

Another object is to provide such a method which readily lends itself to use with automatic packaging equipment.

Another object is to provide such a method which retains articles packaged against undesirable movement within the package without the necessity of using a rigid folder or insert within the package.

Another object is to provide such a method which can be used in conjunction with a variety of packages.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention are attained in a hosiery packaging method according to the present invention in which a portion of the hosiery article is sharply folded over the edge of the package and gripped between the closure flap and the outside of the package. Advantageously, the hosiery article is also pressed into contact with the edge over which it is folded. The hosiery article can first be folded over upon itself a number of times until it conforms to the size of the package. The package can be equipped with a liner for holding the hosiery article, which liner is also folded over the edge of the package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the front and top of a closed package of the type with which the method of this invention is particularly useful;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 and showing the back and top of the package shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the package of FIGS. 1 and 2 in the empty configuration;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing a hosiery article in the package;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3, showing the package in the expanded position immediately prior to receiving a hosiery article;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrating an alternate embodiment of the package;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevation view of an open, empty package of the type shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary rear elevation view of the closed, filled package of FIG. 7, showing the manner in which the hosiery article is held in accordance with the inventive method;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 and showing an intermediate step in the inventive method;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary rear elevation view of an alternative package usable with the method of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary rear elevation view of the closed, filled package of FIG. 11, showing the manner in which the hosiery article is held in accordance with the inventive method;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the top and rear of an alternate manner of closing the preferred package; and

FIG. 14 is a side view of another manner of closing the preferred package.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The method of packaging hosiery articles that is the subject of this application is usable with a variety of hosiery packages. It is best illustrated, and its novel features and advantages best appreciated, when described in conjunction with an envelope-type hosiery package having a top closure flap that is folded downwardly over the back of the package and fastened thereto. However, virtually any type of package having a similar closure flap foldable along the outside of the package can be used. To best illustrate the invention, a preferred package will first be described.

A preferred package for use with the method invention comprises an envelope-type container including an outer paperboard body portion 12 formed from a relatively heavy, one-piece paperboard blank die-cut and foldedinto a flattened tube, and having its opposed side edges adhesively secured together as at 16. The flattened tubular body has an open bottom end which is closed by a closure flap 18 integrally formed on the front panel 20 and folded over and secured to the outer surface of the back panel 22. A similar top closure flap 24 is integrally formed on the front panel for closing the top open end of the tubular body.

The inner surface of the bottom flap 18 and the outer surface of the back panel 22 of the tubular envelope adjacent the end thereof are coated with a selfadhering adhesive material as indicated at 26. Also, flap 18 is scored, as more fully described hereinbelow, to facilitate folding and closing the bottom of the package. Similar score lines are formed at the top flap 24, to facilitate closing the top open end of the carton; however, the self-adhering adhesive is preferably applied only at the side edge portions of the top as indicated at 28 so that, upon folding the top flap 24 onto the adjacent surface of the back panel 22, it will adhere only at the end portions of the flap, leaving the central portion 30 unadhered to facilitate the operation of the method envelope body from the flattened condition shown in FIG. 4 to the condition shown in FIG. 5, the plastic tubular liner 14 will be formed into a generally rectangular configuration located centrally within the paperboard body in position to receive a folded garment from an automatic packaging apparatus. As indicated in FIG. 3, the plastic liner 14 has its open bottom end 50 positioned adjacent to the bottom edge 52 of the back panel 22. However, liner 14 has an upwardly projecting portion 54 which extends above the corresponding top edge 56 of the back panel 22, so that liner 14 can be folded outwardly with the hosiery article in accomplishing the packaging in accordance with the inventive method. Back panel 22 is shorter than front panel so that top edge 56 is longitudinally slightly spaced from the fold line 64, to define an article gripping portion over which a portion of the hosiery article can be folded thereover, as explained below.

of this invention. Also, elimination of the adhesive in the central portion of the package precludes the possibility of damage to the delicate fabric of a garment being inserted into or removed from the package by inadvertently bringing the garment into contact with the adhesive. A lifting tab 32 on the central portion of flap 30 is also provided to facilitate opening the carton.

A liner 14 can optionally be installed in the package. Liner 14 is in the form of a length of thin, seamless, clear plastic tubing which is flattened and positioned centrally within the body portion 12 of the carton 10. The plastic tubing liner has its front panel 34 bonded to the inner surface of the front panel 20 along the length of the package along two lines 36, 38 spaced inwardly from the side edges 40, 42, respectively, of the folded tubular lining. The back panel 44 of the tubular liner is similarly adhered to the back panel 22 along two lines 46, 48, respectively, spaced inwardly from the side edges 40, 42. The b cation of the respective adhesive lines are such that, upon expansion of the tubular An inspection opening, or window 58, is formed in the central portion of the front panel 20, preferably near the top portion thereof, to permit viewing of the contents of the closed package. The window 58 is located in the area between the adhesive lines 36, 38 so that the front panel 34 of the plastic tube is retained in a smooth condition over the window. Also, if desired, additional adhesive may be applied around the periphcry of the opening 58 to secure the panel 34 completely around this periphery.

The closed, filled package is generally flat. However, a garment such as a pair of pantyhose, folded into an elongated, relatively narrow, flat pack as indicated generally at 60 will expand the package slightly so that the front and back panel 20, 22, respectively, are spaced apart in the central portion thereof. However, since the garment does not extend completely to the side edges of the paperboard body, the filled package tapers gradually, in cross section, from the expanded central portion to the thin edge at the sides. The body is made from a paperboard stock having substantial strength in flexure so that the flexing of the front and back panels by the folded garment as shown in FIG. 4 results in a compressive force being applied to the pack to retain the garment in a smooth, flat condition and to resist movement within the package during normal handling.

The score lines in the bottom and top flaps, respectively, are designed to facilitate folding the flaps to accomodate the non-uniformity in cross section of the package. For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it is seen that the folded top flap 24 produces an end panel 60 comprising a generally rectangular central portion 62 defined by a first pair of parallel, transversely extending score lines 64, 66 and a second pair of longitudinally extending parallel score lines 68, 70. The end panel 60 also includes a pair of generally triangular shaped, upwardly inclined end panel portions 72, 74. Panel portion 72 is defined by the score lines 68 and a pair of converging extensions 76, 78 of the parallel score lines 64, 66 respectively, and panel portion 74 is defined by corresponding score lines 70, 80 and 82.

Another embodiment of the package is shown in FIGS. 6-12. The basic construction of this embodiment is quite similar to that illustrated in FIGS. l-5. However, the edge 156 of the central portion of the back panel 22 is longitudinally spaced a slightly greater distance from fold line 64 than was the case in the first embodiment. Edge 156 is flanked by a pair of upwardly inclined edge portions 157. An inspection window 158 is formed in the top portion of the panel 20 and extends upwardly into the top closure flap 24 through the end panel 62 to the uppermost score line 66. A plastic sheet 160 covers window 158 and is secured around the periphery of window 158 by a suitable adhesive. This location of the inspection window permits viewing of the articles packaged in the carton from the front of the package in the conventional manner, or from the end of the package without removing the individual package from a stack thereof in a display rack or the like.

In the showing in FIGS. 11 and 12, the shortened or article gripping edge 256 is recessed even greater than in the preceding Figures. A pair of shoulders 257 flank edge 256 and serve as positive stops to retain the article against lateral movement. Plastic sheet 160 is positioned over the inspection window 158 and secured to the inner surface of the front panel 20 around the entire periphery of the inspection window.

In the embodiments of the package described above, the closure flap 24 is fastened to the back 228 of the package by adhesive means to close the package. The adhesive portions 28 are located along the edge portions of flap 24, so that the inventive method can be utilized with the package, as explained below. Other closure means can be used, however, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14. For example, FIG. 13 shows a conventional tuck-lock tab fastener, with a pair of tabs 90 being integrally formed on the top flap 24, one adjacent each side edge thereof in position to be received in cooperating slots 92 in the side edge portions of panel 22. As an alternative a closure tab system having fasteners 94 passing through openings 96 in the package can be utilized, fasteners 94 flanking the central portion of the package.

The packages described above are simply examples of those that can be used with this invention, and their description is not meant to be limiting.

A major problem in packaging a modern hosiery article is keeping it in position in the package. This is necessary to insure it will remain visible in the inspection window, and to prevent it from migrating to one corner of the package when it will become crushed and wrinkled, the article being held in a somewhat flattened form so that it tends to be smoothed by the pressure of the package and is thus more attractive when it is removed from the package by the purchaser.

In accordance with this invention, the hosiery article is first folded into such configuration as to properly fit in the package. In the case of a panty hose garment, for example, the legs are usually transversely folded over upon each other, and are then folded longitudinally several times. The folded article is then inserted into the package except for afinal portion that extends beyond the top edge 156 of back panel 22, as shown in FIG. 10. If a liner 44 is used, a portion of the liner can also extend beyond the edge, as shown in FIG. 3. The article can be inserted into an open end of the package, or the package can be set up around the article. The final portion of the article is now folded outwardly and downwardly over the top of article gripping edge 156. This can be done separately or coincidentally with the folding of closure flap 24. (See FIGS. and 11) Finally, closure flap 24 is secured in the closed position. The article is thus grasped and held between the inside surface of flap 24 and the outside surface of back panel 22. The article is also held pressed against edge 156 itself by the downward pressure of central flap portion 62. Thus held, the article cannot move longitudinally in the package unless the package is turned upside down. It cannot migrate laterally to such an extent as to move from beneath the inspection window, and it is maintained evenly disposed across the width of the package, so that it tends to be smoothed by the confining pressure of the package.

Variations and modifications to the above described method may become evident to those knowledgeable in the art. However, the invention is defined only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of packaging hosiery articles or the like in a package having a pair of opposed panels and a closure flap attached to one of said panels and foldable over the top edge of the other of said panels and downwardly along the outside of said other panel, comprising the steps of:

placing said hosiery article almost entirely inside said package except for a final portion of said hosiery article extending beyond said top edge of said other panel, folding said final portion of said hosiery article outwardly over said top edge of said other panel and downwardly along the outside of said other panel,

folding said closure flap downwardly along the outside of said other panel over said final portion of said hosiery article to grip said final portion between said closure flap and said other panel to prevent movement of said final portion, and

fastening said closure flap to said other panel at least at one point so positioned as to maintain gripping pressure upon said final portion of said hosiery article between the inner surface of said closure flap and the outer surface of said other panel.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the initial step of folding said hosiery article over upon itself to a configuration having a length slightly greater than the length of the interior of said package.

3. The method fo claim 1 further comprising the step of gripping said final portion of said hosiery article between said top edge of said other panel and said closure flap when said closure flap is folded and fastened.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said final portion and said closure flap are folded simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the length of said final portion of said article is less than the length of said closure flap.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of holding said hosiery article spaced from the side edges of said package.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said closure flap is fastened at points flanking said hosiery article.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said closure flap is fastened at points near said top edge of said other panel. 

1. A method of packaging hosiery articles or the like in a package having a pair of opposed panels and a closure flap attached to one of said panels and foldable over the top edge of the other of said panels and downwardly along the outside of said other panel, comprising the steps of: placing said hosiery article almost entirely inside said package except for a final portion of said hosiery article extending beyond said top edge of said other panel, folding said final portion of said hosiery article outwardly over said top edge of said other panel and downwardly along the outside of said other panel, folding said closure flap downwardly along the outside of said other panel over said final portion of said hosiery article to grip said final portion between said closure flap and said other panel to prevent movement of said final portion, and fastening said closure flap to said other panel at least at one point so positioned as to maintain gripping pressure upon said final portion of said hosiery article between the inner surface of said closure flap and the outer surface of said other panel.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the initial step of folding said hosiery article over upon itself to a configuration having a length slightly greaTer than the length of the interior of said package.
 3. The method fo claim 1 further comprising the step of gripping said final portion of said hosiery article between said top edge of said other panel and said closure flap when said closure flap is folded and fastened.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said final portion and said closure flap are folded simultaneously.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the length of said final portion of said article is less than the length of said closure flap.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of holding said hosiery article spaced from the side edges of said package.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said closure flap is fastened at points flanking said hosiery article.
 8. The method of claim 6 wherein said closure flap is fastened at points near said top edge of said other panel. 